For the first time since leaving office early last year, former Gov. Bill Haslam is getting back on the spotlight: He’s launching a program meant to help low-income students learn from those in college.
The Tennessee Tutoring Corps will help combat the so-called “summer slide,” Haslam told WPLN News. That’s the period of the year where students lose some educational gains because they are out of school.
Many education experts say it’s likely to be even worse this year due to COVID-19.
“I think there are a lot of other unseen consequences that we haven’t talked as much about,” Haslam said. “One of those is the challenge with our education.”
The program, expected to start sometime in June, is meant to help about 5,000 low-income elementary school students catch up on reading and math.
The Haslams’ foundation is partnering up with the Boys and Girls Club across the state to reach these communities of students.
“A lot of people think this is an urban problem — and it is,” Crissy Haslam, former first lady, said. “But it’s also a rural problem.”
But the program could also help some college students looking for a job, Bill Haslam said. “They thought they’d be doing an internship or maybe having a paid job. It’s probably not going to happen.”
The Tennessee Tutoring Corps is looking at hiring at least 1,000 tutors by the end of May, and they will get paid up to $1,000 dollars for eight weeks of teaching. Haslam says this is a pilot program, but could be considered for the future.
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